Sync Licensing Explained

What Is Sync Licensing?

A synchronization (sync) license gives someone the right to use your music synchronized with visual media — a TV show, film, commercial, video game, trailer, or online video. It is called "sync" because the music is synced to moving images.

Sync licensing is one of the most lucrative opportunities in music because a single placement can generate significant upfront fees plus ongoing royalties.

The Two Licenses You Need

Every sync placement requires two separate licenses:

Sync License

This covers the musical composition — the melody, lyrics, and arrangement. It is granted by whoever controls the publishing rights (the songwriter, their publisher, or their administrator).

Master Use License

This covers the specific sound recording being used. It is granted by whoever owns the masters (the artist, their label, or whoever funded the recording).

If you wrote the song AND own the recording, you control both licenses. This makes you a very attractive option for music supervisors because they only need to negotiate with one party.

How Placements Happen

Music Supervisors

Music supervisors are the gatekeepers of sync. They select music for TV shows, films, and other visual media. They work with directors and producers to find tracks that fit specific scenes and moods.

Sync Agents and Libraries

Sync agents represent artists and pitch their music to supervisors. They typically take 25-50% of sync fees
Music libraries are catalogs of pre-cleared music that supervisors can browse and license quickly. Libraries take a larger cut but provide volume exposure
Production music libraries offer "stock music" — typically lower fees but higher volume of placements

Direct Pitching

Some artists pitch directly to music supervisors, but this is harder without existing relationships. It works better if:

You have a strong, professional catalog
Your music is easy to license (you own all rights)
You can provide stems and alternate versions quickly

What Sync Pays

Sync fees vary enormously based on the type of placement:

TV Shows

Background use (playing in a bar scene): $1,000 - $5,000
Featured use (character moment, montage): $5,000 - $25,000
Theme song: $10,000 - $75,000+
Major network prime time: Higher end of all ranges

Film

Independent film: $1,000 - $10,000
Studio film: $15,000 - $100,000+
End credits feature: $25,000 - $75,000
Trailer: $50,000 - $500,000+ (trailers often pay the most)

Commercials

Local/regional: $1,000 - $25,000
National: $25,000 - $500,000+
Super Bowl: $500,000 - $2,000,000+

Video Games

Indie games: $500 - $5,000
Major releases: $5,000 - $50,000+
Franchise games: Higher end

Important: These fees are for the sync license only. You also negotiate a separate master use fee. And you will earn performance royalties every time the show/film/ad airs — this can add up to more than the upfront fee over time.

Making Your Music Sync-Ready

Music supervisors need tracks they can license quickly and easily:

Own your rights — Control both the master and the publishing, or have clear documentation of splits
Have clean metadata — Song title, writer credits, publisher info, ISRC, all organized
Provide stems — Instrumental versions, vocal-only versions, and individual stems are frequently requested
Register with a PRO — ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Performance royalties from sync placements can be substantial
Keep vocals clean — Have a version without explicit content. Many TV and ad placements need clean versions
Write with visual storytelling in mind — Songs with clear emotional arcs, dynamic builds, and evocative lyrics get placed more often

Getting Started

Register your music with a PRO (ASCAP or BMI) if you have not already
Create instrumental and clean versions of your best tracks
Research sync agents and music libraries that work with your genre
Build a professional catalog with organized metadata
Start with smaller placements (indie films, YouTube content, podcasts) and build your sync resume